Atlanta Hawks: The playoff picture five games out.

The Atlanta Hawks and the other play-in teams

The Charlotte Hornets mathematically kept themselves in the hunt for a guaranteed playoff spot with the win against the Detroit Pistons yesterday. They only won by three points but, as they say, a win is a win.

They are two games behind the Miami Heat and the Boston Celtics who are currently tied for the sixth seed. They are also four games behind the Hawks which is good breathing space as the Hornets own the tiebreaker against the Hawks.

The Heat are currently in seventh place, 1.5 games behind the Hawks. Fortunately, this is where the Hawks win against the Heat when they were so undermanned helps the club. Not only did it give them another win, but it also meant that the Hawks hold the tiebreaker against the Florida-based franchise.

This means that the Heat have to win one more game on the season than the Hawks to pass the Georgia-based franchise. Given they are facing a desperate Boston Celtics squad in two straight games and then the Philadelphia 76ers and then the Bucks, this is going to incredibly difficult.